Description
Streedagh Beach, Grange, County Sligo, Ireland
Streedagh Strand is an impressive 3km long sandbar which has is a double-edged beach with several small horseshoe coves running from its point to the end. One side faces east commanding views upon the iconic Benbulben mountain, and the other side faces west out onto the Atlantic Ocean. A perfect place to bathe in from sunrise until sunset.
On the southern tip of Streedagh’s sandbar is Conor’s Island as seen on this photo. It was once a true island surrounded on all sides by the sea. There were 30 residents living here in the early 1900’s but over the years the sandbank grew, which slowly joined the island onto Streedagh Strand. Nowadays Connor’s Island is sadly uninhabited, however if you look you can see the remains of stone cottages and dry-stone walls separating the small fields which today still hold sheep, cows and horses. If you look carefully amongst these dunes, can you spot the herd of 10 horses grazing the wilds? 
In my mind’s eye I can see a naturally created golf course here, but obviously it’s really another stunning landscape created by nature. The Atlantic winds and waves have shaped the course whilst supplying the sand from the ocean. The grazing cattle have fertilised the soil creating green grassland to grow amongst the bracken. In return the cattle graze the grass down to a few millimetres in size, keeping it neat and tidy all year round.
Landscapes like this we often try to mimic and create ourselves, to be used as golf courses or elaborate parks etc. Our man made, fast attempts at reshaping our surroundings will never be on par with what nature has carefully carved and created, slowly over time. Although we enviously try to recreate and match it….. we will never truly succeed the final look 
